Going through a home renovation isn’t easy. Even if you’ve renovated a number of houses in the past, there are always some unique surprises that come up and make your job more difficult. So, what exactly can you do to make sure your upcoming renovation project is a success? Listed
One in six Britons who have undertaken a DIY project at home in the last year have injured themselves in the process, costing the NHS an estimated £222 million from A&E visits. The main culprits behind the injuries from home DIY projects were power tools, ladders and general tools. The
Homeowners keep choosing to take matter into their own hands and undertake their own home improvements, despite the difficulty of some of the projects, such as large kitchen renovations. This is partly due to the increased availability of ‘how to’ guides online and reduced consumer confidence causing people to tighten their
The average British homeowner has seven DIY projects that need doing in their property, either projects that were left unfinished or not even started, according to a new research. What’s more, over two thirds of Britons say that they have tackled a home-improvement task themselves before having to hire a
Until relatively recently there was really only one way to sell your home – via a high street estate agent. A convoluted and sometimes frustrating system that also can be costly, in hindsight it was perhaps no surprise that online agents and latterly private sellers would have such easy pickings in
Business is booming for UK tradesmen due to Britain’s do-it-yourself attitude, according to a new survey. Commissioned by Swinton Commercial, a business insurance broker, the snap-shot study took a sample of 100 tradesmen and women from across the UK, and found that out of all trades, it was plumbers who
You may be intimidated by getting out a paint brush and painting your home or workplace, many people are, and this is generally because people are unsure of what paints to use for what surface. But according to DIY Network, anyone can paint a room and get professional results by
BDC 322 : Nov 2024
Going through a home renovation isn’t easy. Even if you’ve renovated a number of houses in the past, there are always some unique surprises that come up and make your job more difficult. So, what exactly can you do to make sure your upcoming renovation project is a success? Listed below are five important considerations to have in mind. What are your reasons for renovating? When renovating a home, you need to know the reasons why you’re doing it. Maybe you want a change of lifestyle and giving your home a new look to go alongside is a great way to get underway. Or maybe you just more space for you and your family. Think about what your reasons for renovating are and coming up with a master plan for your project will become much easier. Not only this, but with clearly set goals, you’ll also be more motivated to tackle the project and wait for the outcome. On the other hand, if you realize there’s nothing you want to achieve with your renovation project, maybe you don’t even have to change anything in it. How much money do you have? Obviously, you can’t start a home renovation project without money. Whether you want to extend your home or freshen up a floor, you’ll probably need a lot in order to get the job done. This is why knowing how much money you can put into your renovation is a must. Figure out your budget and you’ll know exactly what kind of changes you can make. Bear in mind that structural changes tend to be more expensive than aesthetic changes you can make to your home. Also, it’s a good idea to have some money on the side just in case of some unexpected costs during the project. Can you take a DIY approach? Most people who decide to renovate their home end up hiring experts who’ll get the job done for them. Although you can never go wrong with hiring a renowned contractor, you can also consider the idea of taking a DIY approach. Why? Well, doing it yourself means you get to save a lot of money that you can put into better materials or a more expensive upgrade. If you know your way around tools, this can turn out to be an amazing idea. Just bear in mind that you’ll probably need to rent equipment if you want to tackle everything yourself. For example, when adding an extension to the top floor of your home, you’ll need to turn to a company that offers scaffolding for hire in order to stay safe. Is your plan realistic? Dreaming is the starting point of every successful home renovation. However, if you want to get everything right, it’s important to be realistic about what you want to accomplish. Sometimes, you might come up with an idea for your home that simply doesn’t work or it exceeds your budget. To avoid setting unrealistic expectations for your project, talk to your contractor or turn to a designer if you’ve opted for a DIY approach. They’ll be able to tell you if your plan doesn’t work and how much money it’ll take to turn your ideas into reality. For example, they might convince you that you don’t need that expensive flooring that doesn’t even fit into your budget. It is important to find the right home renovation company, this way you will get the job done right and on-time. How much time will it take? Renovating your home can be a lengthy process. The worst part is it that it’ll probably take even more time than you think. This is especially the case if you start the project before or during the holiday season. Depending on the size and nature of the project, you might need to find a place to stay until all the work has been finished. If you think you can get everything done in a week or two, staying at a friend’s house or in a hotel is your safest bet. For longer projects, consider renting a home on a one- or two-month contract. If you decide to stay in your home, knowing how to live on site while renovating might be necessary. It’s important to remember that the success of your home renovation project depends on the amount of work you put in. Consider all these things before you put any money into your renovation project to avoid any surprises.
One in six Britons who have undertaken a DIY project at home in the last year have injured themselves in the process, costing the NHS an estimated £222 million from A&E visits. The main culprits behind the injuries from home DIY projects were power tools, ladders and general tools. The research, undertaken by the team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk, surveyed 2,802 people aged between 18 and 65 years old. Respondents all stated that they lived in their own home, whether owned or rented. The research found that 64% of respondents have undertaken a form of DIY or home improvement on their property within the last year, all of whom were under the age of 65. Of those that had partaken in DIY in the past year, one in six (17%) were found to have caused injury to themselves in the process. The injury was so severe for 26% of these that they had to visit A&E to treat the injury, whilst a further 5% called an ambulance to be taken to hospital. The results indicate that 2.8% of Britons aged 18-65 have ended up in A&E as a result of a DIY injury, whilst less than 1% have been taken to hospital in an ambulance. Using NHS statistics on the average cost of visiting A&E (£143) and the cost of getting an ambulance to hospital (£259)*, along with the most recent ONS data for the population of 18-65 year olds in the UK (40,762,058), the results indicate that DIY injuries cost the NHS £222,322,225 in hospital visits last year. The leading five causes of the injuries were revealed to be: Contact with a power tool – 23% Fell from a ladder – 22% Contact with a non-power tool – 17% Electrocuted myself – 10% Incident with a Lawnmower – 6% Asked if they had missed any time off work as a result of their DIY injury, as many as three fifths (60%) said that they had missed at least one day, with the average found to be three days. Unfortunately 12% said the injury had caused long-term damage, and a further 6% said that they were unable to return to work for at least one year. “DIY naturally comes with its own set of risks as the equipment used, such as power tools and ladders, can be dangerous if not used properly. Obviously accidents happen and can sometimes be unavoidable, but a high number of these accidents could be averted with the proper precautions, thus alleviating the strain and cost on the NHS. Always wear protection, such as goggles or a mask and gloves where necessary, take extra care when using power tools and dealing with electrics and never go up a ladder without someone holding the base for you,” commented on the findings Lisa Evans, spokesperson for www.MyJobQuote.co.uk.
Homeowners keep choosing to take matter into their own hands and undertake their own home improvements, despite the difficulty of some of the projects, such as large kitchen renovations. This is partly due to the increased availability of ‘how to’ guides online and reduced consumer confidence causing people to tighten their purses. This boom has been witnessed first-hand by Roofing Megastore, which has shipped in excess of 250,000 products to over 12,000 customers. The majority of these customers are homeowners who are taking on small roofing projects themselves, typically reroofing a shed or constructing a polycarbonate shelter. Although, according to the Banbury-based supplier of roofing materials, a healthy portion of their customers still seek the advice of a tradesman, the company feels ready to provide one-to-one support to DIYers. This includes an award-winning Customer Care Team and steady flow of how-to guides to inspire homeowners. “When buying high involvement products online customers are often overloaded with information we commit considerable resources into simplifying that information and providing a seamless user experience. When combined with our dedicated Customer Care Team, we believe this provides homeowners with the confidence they need to turn their DIY dreams into reality,” said Managing Director Gian Carlo-Grossi. Having seen the DIY market’s continued growth, Roofing Megastore has decided to expand its offering to consumers. Not only will this involve welcoming leading brands, such as Redland and Britmet, onto its website, but continuing to remove the confusing lingo that often leaves homeowners bewildered. The company also has hopes of going beyond roofing to expand their offering to both DIYers and tradesman. Having witnessed almost 300% growth over the past 12 months, there is little doubt that Roofing Megastore will inspire more homeowners to take on their projects throughout 2019.
The average British homeowner has seven DIY projects that need doing in their property, either projects that were left unfinished or not even started, according to a new research. What’s more, over two thirds of Britons say that they have tackled a home-improvement task themselves before having to hire a professional in. The study, conducted by the team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk, polled 2,689 Britons over the age of 18, with all respondents revealing they owned a property in which they had lived with a partner for a minimum of 5 years. The participants were first asked if their home has any DIY jobs that needed doing, to which the majority (84%) responded with ‘yes’, while 16% said there wasn’t anything that needed attention. When asked if there were any serious repairs that needed desperate attention, 34% said that there were. After that, the participants were asked to estimate how many DIY or home-improvement jobs needed doing in their house, and the average number was revealed to be seven. When asked what jobs required attention in the home (participants could choose multiple answers) the most common jobs were ‘painting and wallpapering’ (68%), ‘laying new flooring’ (52%) and ‘fixing a leak’ (46%). All respondents were then asked if they had attempted a DIY job in the home before ending up having to call in a professional, to which 68% said that they had. Of those that had attempted DIY jobs before hiring someone in, just under half (43%) revealed that they had made the job worse initially. The average amount spent per failed DIY job was revealed to be £86. Relevant participants were asked for the reasons why they had DIY jobs outstanding, and the top answers were ‘I can’t afford the repair’ (49%), ‘I don’t have time to do it myself’ (32%) and ‘I keep putting it off’ (21%). Relevant respondents were asked when they thought they would be able to get the jobs completed; only 31% thought they would be able to complete the jobs in the next 12 months, whilst 14% said they thought they would never complete all the outstanding DIY jobs in their home. “It’s a shame that so many British homeowners feel that they don’t have enough time or money to complete the outstanding DIY jobs in their homes. It’s a good idea to set aside some time every now and again to complete some jobs around the house, or hire a tradesman for those that you can’t, especially as some people end up costing themselves more by attempting jobs themselves,” commented on the findings Lisa Evans, spokesperson for www.MyJobQuote.co.uk.
Until relatively recently there was really only one way to sell your home – via a high street estate agent. A convoluted and sometimes frustrating system that also can be costly, in hindsight it was perhaps no surprise that online agents and latterly private sellers would have such easy pickings in the past decade and the present. In 2015 the government relaxed the rules on selling homes over the internet to give sellers more flexibility in the amount of work they can put in, enabling them to save money but also exert more control over the process. Several of the laws governing the housing market concerning street trading dated back to the 19th Century, and it was time for change. The laws allowed private sale websites to take on people wishing to sell their homes. So many of the jobs that formerly fell to an estate agent, and therefore hit your wallet, can now be done easily online – these include staging the photographs of the property, arranging visits and showing buyers around the property, and other aspects of the sale for which you need no formal qualifications. Ideally, the more work you put in, the swifter and easier the sale will be, at a fraction of the cost of a local agent that could take an average of 1.5% commission. The change in the law means that private listing sites don’t even have to visit the property. At the time the changes were proposed seller David Dexter told the BBC: “I think that an estate agent is a service that I can do. And I think it’s a really great opportunity to get the house out to as many people as possible. And essentially, to save a lot of money.” The private sales websites are probably necessary to get the home listed, on several hundred sites including giants such as Rightmove and Zoopla. A listing might cost around £500, or you might have to go down the route of an online estate agent depending on which sites you wish your property to appear. You might even wish to forgo the listing completely and market it yourself on social media, although this could be limited by your reach and the number of followers you possess. So for listings, private or online agents are probably the way to go. The main drawback of such sites is that you might pay the fee upfront but not sell the home; something that doesn’t happen with high street agents. You could conceivably create floor plans, or a video of the property and its surroundings, but first impressions count and a sloppy effort could be detrimental to your chances. You might also have to negotiate prices yourself, and even decide on a valuation – quite a task if you have no experience in this field. If you’re selling through a private firm there’s a lot more work you’ll have to put in, and if speed is important for the sale this could be a tough task (a company such as We Buy Any Home could help). Ultimately the decision is yours and relies on a large range of considerations that only you can make. No matter how you decide to proceed, the decision is not set in stone and you can always revert to another method.
Business is booming for UK tradesmen due to Britain’s do-it-yourself attitude, according to a new survey. Commissioned by Swinton Commercial, a business insurance broker, the snap-shot study took a sample of 100 tradesmen and women from across the UK, and found that out of all trades, it was plumbers who reported having to fix the highest number of DIY disasters in the home and workplace, with 20% saying that fixing dodgy DIY attempts often accounted for as much as 84% of their workloads. The study showed that 100% of those surveyed felt that most amateur DIY attempts resulted from people believing it would be cheaper to do the jobs themselves rather than hiring a professional, thinking skilled plumbing jobs were easy (42.9%), or because they worried they would get ripped-off by rogue traders (42%). Over 25% of plumbers said they were regularly called out to fix DIY mishaps at businesses, while 100% said that over ambitious DIY-ers were guilty of putting themselves and others at risk. 50% of UK plumbers said they thought it was a growing trend. Botched DIY jobs reported by UK plumbers, included: • A waitress in a cafe attempted to repair a commercial boiler using a bread knife and scissors. The unit was still live at the time. • An unsecured bath where overflows were running into the ceiling void. Lead pipes had been left and fudged into the copper pipes, with boxing made from MDF absorbing water • A basin tap fitted without a sealing washer, causing a large water leak, which ran through the ceiling in the hallway. Alastair Denness, national business development manager at Swinton Commercial, said: “The results of the study are troubling showing that UK plumbers are seeing a growing trend in people undertaking technically demanding and potentially dangerous DIY jobs in order to cut costs. “Although these jobs might be good news for UK plumbers, businesses need to be aware that cutting costs by attempting to do the job of a professional is a false economy, often costing a lot more than it would to pay a professional to do the job in the first place. “Business owners also need to remember that failed DIY attempts can put you and employees at serious risk, and result in insurance claims when disaster strikes, leading to increased business insurance premiums. We, therefore, advise supporting your local tradesmen to provide a professional service which could save you and your business a lot more money in the long run.” Read more at http://www.hpmmag.com/news/botched-diy-jobs-account-80-business
You may be intimidated by getting out a paint brush and painting your home or workplace, many people are, and this is generally because people are unsure of what paints to use for what surface. But according to DIY Network, anyone can paint a room and get professional results by working efficiently, neatly and with careful preparation. Below we’ve created a handy guide to painting, listing the different types of paints, and what they are used for. Use anti mould paint in bathrooms This might seem quite obvious but, by using anti mould paint in your bathroom, you won’t have to redo the paint for a long period of time. This is because anti mould paint contains specialised additives in order to create barriers, and prevent mould from occurring. If mould has already started to grow, then use a cleaner to get rid of it first. Prime your radiator before painting Before painting your radiator, ensure it is turned off and cooled down! If you spot any sections that have rusted over the years then use sandpaper to remove the rust. Once clean and rust-free, you can use a primer before applying the top coat. Use solvent-based paints for your radiator, such as non-drip or satinwood which you can find in a range of colours. Satin for bedrooms is advisable Satin paint is usually the best for bedrooms, this is down to them being easy to clean, easy to maintain and durable. Machperson paint is popular, this is because of the quality finish it provides, the large range on offer, and how easily it dries. Matt Emulsion is recommended for ceilings The majority of people tend to use Matt Emulsion paints for ceilings due to their toughness, durability and the ability to be wiped down easily. Matt Emulsion paints are also non-reflective, which is exactly what you need for a ceiling. Undercoats and topcoats are perfect for woodwork For woodwork you’ll need both an undercoat and topcoat and you can choose from either oil-based or water based. The advantages of oil-based paints are that they are hard-wearing and cover well, however the disadvantages include; smelling until they dry and having to use white spirit to get the paint off your brushes. The advantages of water based paints are that they’re easy to apply, don’t smell much and you can clean your brushes with water. But the disadvantages are that you need more coats of paint to get a good finish and they don’t last as long as oil-based paints. Use exterior paint brands for the outside There are a variety of exterior-based paints that you can use for the outside of buildings, depending on what you require. For example Zinsser Perma-White Interior/Exterior Gloss and Satin Paint is great due to resisting cracking, peeling and blistering for up to 7 years before needing a fresh coat. Johnstones Solar Reflective Paint is ideal for roofs that are exposed to direct sunlight. Image source: www.flickr.com/photos/unitedsoybean/10481728754/in/photostream/
